Africa's Wars Are Hurting Its Rich Heritage!

Several countries across the African continent are currently embroiled in war. Some of those worst hit are South Sudan, Ethiopia, Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Somalia, the Central African Republic, and Burkina Faso. These armed conflicts are caused by a range of factors, including bad governance, corruption, poverty, rights violations, and religious intolerance, writes Afolasade A. Adewumi for The Conversation.

There are several accounts of the destruction of Africa's heritage in conflict situations. For instance, the war between Eritrea and Ethiopia - which started in 1998 and ended with a peace deal in 2000 - resulted in the Ethiopian army toppling the Stella of Matara, a 2,500-year-old sculpture of cultural significance. Ethiopia has more recently illustrated how armed conflict destroys historical items. The country's northern region of Tigray - rich in religious heritage and a tourist attraction - has been war-torn since November 2020.

In Mali in 2012, rebel Islamist groups took over Timbuktu and destroyed mosques, mausoleums and Sufi tombs that had been built as far back as the 15th century. In Côte d'Ivoire, sacred circular masks were stolen and some burnt during a conflict that began in 2002. The Klin Kpli, the sacred talking drum of the Baoule people, was stolen from the royal court of Sakassou.

Armed conflict has led to the loss of millions of African lives over the decades and negatively affected national development. It has also caused huge losses to cultural heritage. Misinformation and a shallow understanding of the significance of heritage items are at the root of the violence demonstrated against heritage items in many parts of Africa - and beyond.